The present invention relates to a structure and a method for deriving, testing and recording data to determine appropriate human positions, acts, space and human interface between others, human supports, instruments, devices, installations and health care facilities as a whole. The structure and method are especially useful for designing hospitals, clinics and associated centers for learning, for specifying health care procedures, for engineering information and treatment technology and for acquiring skills from the best use of one""s body.
This system is based on the concept that data from proprioceptive feedback, scaled numeric terms and coordinate based imagery should be the primary way to define procedure, skill, instruments and settings for health care. Scaled numeric terms and coordinate based imagery also address indications for procedure and 3D perception of the beginning progress and outcome of procedure. The derivations from proprioceptive feedback (often conducted with masked eyes) best identify human interface with technological functions as a direct extension of human functions. This results in less clutter and the least distinction from patient centered attention.
Daryl Beach DMD, designed and developed the Skill Acquisition, Transfers and Verification system (SATV system) hardware and point tracking system applied to health care procedures with the engineering and manufacturing support of Kabushiki Kaisha Morita Seisakusho as an example of this method for widespread use in the field of health care at large. The example is focused on procedures in the mouth.
This system is based on a concept that, with proprioceptive derivation that is commonly shared by all human beings, everyone becomes aware of what he or she wants as a care provider as well as a care receiver. Thus, we become aware of the body conditions, technology and facilities that we want as human beings.
Briefly, the SATV system includes following seven stages:
SATV 0xe2x80x94Human centered derivations
0 (zero) conditions for xe2x80x9cwhat I wantxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cwhat we wantxe2x80x9d as providers and patient are derived for 1) body condition and acts, 2) human space and interface, 3) Settings, and 4) Technology.
Derivation exercises make the operator highly aware of such proprioceptive feedback as horizontal balance sense and minimum activity of anti-gravity muscles, with which each part of one""s is stabilized.
SATV 1xe2x80x94Positions, Contacts, Sighting (Simulation)
The optimum treatment condition including body conditions, positions, contacts, sightings and compatible technology can be derived for all procedures in dentistry including examinations, restorations, prosthetics, endodontics, periodontics, oral srugery, orthodontics, etc., while maintaining a balanced head, optimum finger control, minimum body tension for performers and patients with minimum distraction from patients.
SATV 2xe2x80x94Basic Finger Control and Accuracy (Simulation)
Basic finger control and sighting control based on criteria for direct views and reflected views are acquired with the stable body conditions. Exercises reinforce memory sets that were established in Stages 0 and I.
SATV 3xe2x80x94Skill Transfer (Simulation)
Skills that are acquired in Stage 0, I and II are transferred through exercises to any or all other procedures in dentistry. For example, to surgical procedures which may include removal of horizontally impacted upper third molars simulated to acquire the optimum body conditions and positions.
SATV 4xe2x80x94Patient, Performer, Assistant Roles (Simulation)
Through role simulation exercises, proprioceptively derived clinical settings are verified. Interpersonal skills are also acquired in pd settings.
SATV 5xe2x80x94Patient Treatment (Clinical)
The outcome of patient treatment is photographed with an intra-oral camera and the image is displayed on the LAN display. The images are assessed by oneself first, and then by others.
SATV 6xe2x80x94Patient Communication (Clinical)
Communication with patients including Information collection and is assessed through images of CCD-camera and voice recording.
The SATV system provides following benefits:
(a) to establish and maintain optimum finger control for precision work;
(b) to minimize distraction from the patient;
(c) to maintain a healthy spine of the operator, while minimizing physical tension;
(d) to maintain consistent accuracy, and minimize treatment time by eliminating unnecessary acts; and
(e) to establish a basis of infection control by minimizing the number of finger-instrument contacts.
In the meantime, the purpose of SATVs 2 to 5 are to provide the performers (i.e., dentist, physician, nurse and assistant) with consistent accuracy, minimum treatment time, minimum numbers of finger-instrument contacts, and to reinforce muscle memory sets established in SATVs 0 and 1. For this purpose, a conventional equipment for use in SATV 2 for performer includes a simulated head, mouth, jaws, teeth, tissues and pathologies (PCT) with which the performer performers dental procedures. The PCT has simulated head and face, articulator, buccal membrane (silicon rubber), cheek and lip mask and dental arch model. A CCD camera is assembled over the PCT for picking up actual movements of portions of the performer and instrument that the performer uses in a procedure. An image picked up by the CCD camera is transmitted and then displayed on a monitor screen. The monitor screen is covered with a releasable transparent sheet, so that an assistant can track the movements of the portions of both the performer and the instrument. With the transparent sheet on which the actual movement has been tracked, the performer can evaluate his/her performance. In the evaluation, because it has been found that a highly skilled performer requires minimum movements of body as well instruments during procedure, one of the most important factors is a size of the tracked movement on the transparent sheet.
With this equipment, however, a greater experience is needed for precisely tracking the movement of portions of the body and instrument on the transparent sheet. Also, a plurality of portions of body and/or instrument can not be tracked simultaneously on the transparent sheet, which results in that a greater time is required for tracking a plurality of portions. Further, an improvement of skill can not be evaluated quantitatively.
Among the several objects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of a; system and method for use in SATVs 2 to 5 capable of precisely tracking paths of motion of points on a performer and/or a portion of an instrument during a procedure; the provision of such a system and method which is capable of automatically tracking the movement without any assistant; and the provision of such a system and method which allows a performer to evaluate his/her acquired skill more easily and quantitatively.
Accordingly, a system for use in skill acquisition, transfers and verification for performer according to the embodiment of the present invention includes
(a) a simulated object to which the performer would perform clinical procedure;
(b) an image pickup which picks up an image of a point indicator provided on the performer or an instrument that the performer handles, and then generates an image signal corresponding to the picked-up image, while the performer provides the simulated object with the procedure;
(c) an image processor which processes the. image signal generated by the image pickup and generates data for showing a movement of the point indicator on a two-dimensional coordinate system; and
(d) a display which shows tracks of the point indicator by using the coordinate data.
With this arrangement, the motions of the performer and instrument .be accurately tracked, and also, such motions can be automatically tracked without any help of others.
In another aspect of the system according to the present invention, the system further comprises at least one light source which directs light toward the simulated object. With this arrangement, the motion of the performer and instrument can be captured clearly due to the light. Also, the visual recognition of a simulated object such as medical site is improved, creating an environment resembling an actual health care site using shade-free light.
Another system according to the present invention includes
(a) a simulated object to which the performer would perform clinical procedure;
(b) at least one light source which directs light to the simulated object;
(c) a position indicator made of light reflecting material, the position indicator being provided on the performer or an instrument that the performer handles for reflecting the light from the light source;
(d) an image pickup which picks up an image of a point indicator and then generates an image signal corresponding to the picked-up image while the performer provides the simulated object with the procedure;
(e) an image processor which processes the image signal generated by the image pickup and generates data for showing tracks of the point indicator on a two-dimensional coordinate system; and
(f) a display which shows the tracks of the point indicator by using the coordinate data. With this system, the reflective point indicator provides a good and precise tracking of the point indicator applied to the performer and the instrument handled by the performer.
In another aspect of the system according to the present invention, the image pickup is a video camera, and the image-processor is a video processor which processes the image signal and generates binary data corresponding to the tracks of the point indicator and generates data for showing the tracks of the point indicator on the two-dimensional coordinate system by using the binary data. With this arrangement, a general-purpose video camera can be used and the coordinate can be calculated in a reduced time, so that a capacity of memory used for storing data can be decreased.
Another system according to the present invention includes
a base;
an elevating portion supported on the base so that the elevating portion moves ups and downs on the base;
the elevating portion carries the simulated object and a holding member equipped with light source, image pickup and the instrument holder, so that the light source, the image pickup and the instrument holder moves ups and downs with the elevating portion.
With this arrangement, the simulated object and the holding member can be moved ups and downs simultaneously, so that no adjustment should be made which would otherwise be needed in the vertical movements.
In another aspect of the system according to the present invention, the system includes a chair having an arm horizontally extending from a vertical line passing through a mouth in the simulated object supported on the elevating portion and supported rotatably about the vertical line, and a seat mechanically connected with the arm so that the seat moves ups and downs relative to the arm and to and from the vertical line, wherein the chair cooperates with the base to define a space therebetween in which the performer on the seat can move his/her feet freely.
In another aspect of the present invention according to the present invention, the system includes
a controller which controls an elevation of the elevating portion and the instruments that the performer handles;
a head rest rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis for supporting the simulated object; and
means for displaying and/or memorizing the elevation of the elevating portion, a rotational angle and horizontal and vertical movements of the seat, and a rotational angle of the headrest.
With this arrangement, the conditions of the previous procedure can be readily reproduced when the same performer does a next procedure. Further, by recording the conditions of the procedure, the performer can compare and evaluate which conditions will draw good results.
In another aspect of the system according to the present invention,
the light source has two lamps mounted over the simulated object so that the two lamps direct light to the mouth of the simulated object from opposite directions;
the image pickup is positioned between the two lamps.
With this arrangement, the instrument that the performer handles can be picked up by the image pickup from such an angle, which causes the clearest observation of the motion of the instrument.
A method for use in skill acquisition, transfers and verification for performer comprises the steps of:
(a) providing a simulated object to which the performer would perform clinical procedure;
(b) picking up an image of a point indicator provided on the performer or an instrument that the performer handles, and then generating an image signal corresponding to the picked-up image, while the performer provides the simulated object with the procedure;
(c) processing the image signal generated by the image pickup and generates data for showing a track of the point indicator on a two-dimensional coordinate system; and
(d) displaying the track of the point indicator by using the coordinate data.
With this method, the motions of the performer and the instrument can be accurately tracked. Also, such motions can be automatically tracked without any help of others. Further, the performer can readily and quantitatively evaluate his/her skill.
In another aspect of the method according to the present invention further comprises the steps of:
storing data of a frame in a first memory;
displaying the frame;
moving the frame to superimpose the frame on the tracks of the point indicator;
calculating a ratio of the time in which the point indicator is within a region corresponding to the frame to a time taken in picking up the point indicator; and
displaying the ratio.
With this method, the performer can evaluate his/her skill based on objective data obtained by visually confirming the motions of the performer and the instrument.
In another aspect of the method according to the present invention, the frame on the display has a plurality of windows having the same center but different sizes so as to stepwise evaluate procedures made by the performer, wherein the ratio of the time while the tracks the point indicator stay within each of regions enclosed by the plurality of windows to the time taken in picking up the point indicator is calculated and then displayed. With this method, the stepwise evaluation of the motions of the performer and the instrument can be made.
In another aspect of the method according to the present invention, the plurality of ratios for the plurality of performers are stored in a second memory, and the plurality of the ratios stored in the second memory are displayed. With this method, the performer can visually confirm his/her skill with reference to the evaluation results indicated on the display.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.